Former Edmonton Eskimo sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for 'egregious' sex assault

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Former Edmonton Eskimos defensive lineman Adam Braidwood was sentenced to 4-1/2 years in prison Friday for an “egregious” sexual assault on a former girlfriend.

Braidwood, 28, shook his lawyer’s hand and then waved at two unidentified crying women, who had accompanied him to court, before being led away by a sheriff.

Braidwood pleaded guilty to sexual assault and careless storage of a firearm relating to a bizarre Dec. 2, 2010, domestic assault which court heard was a product of the former CFL star and cage fighter’s drug addiction.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Eric Macklin called it a “very serious” crime consisting of an “egregious act of sexual assault” and “egregious behaviour” towards a woman who deserved and was entitled to protection due to the relationship she had with Braidwood.

Macklin said the woman, who cannot be identified under a court-ordered publication ban, “lived in fear” over what happened to her in her own home and “felt terrorized” by the way she was being treated by her armed ex-boyfriend.

He cited the woman’s victim impact statement, in which she wrote that her worst injuries were emotional ones as they “stay for life” and said it was the “greatest betrayal” by a man she loved and thought she was going to marry.

Macklin credited Braidwood with showing genuine remorse and noted he had written a “heart-wrenching” apology to the victim as well as ones to his family, the Edmonton Eskimos and the community of Edmonton.

In the written apologies, Braidwood said he was sorry for causing embarrassment to his former team by his “lack of character” and for “tearing the fabric” of the community.

Crown prosecutor Scott Niblock told court the incident began with an argument between Braidwood and his ex-girlfriend outside their city home on Dec. 2, 2010.

It continued inside and led to him refusing to let her leave and her fearfully locking herself in the bathroom.

Court heard she opened the door after he hit it and threatened to break it down and he pushed her into the bathtub, leaned over her and said the following words:

“Do you know who I am? I will kill you. I have a gun in the house. I will kill you,” quoted Niblock.

The couple then moved into another room where Braidwood asked her to hit him in the face as he had taken a bunch of Valium. They then went into the bedroom and Braidwood continued threatening her.

Court heard he then got out a handgun, which she thought he was going to use on her, and asked if she had ever played “chicken” before. He then put a bullet in the chamber, spun it and pulled the trigger while aiming at his foot, but a bullet was not fired.

Braidwood then put the gun in his mouth, but she took it away and tried to calm him down by rubbing his neck.

At that point he grabbed her neck and began choking her until she started gasping for air. He then told her he wanted her to “show her loyalty” to him by performing oral sex on him. She did and he then pulled down her pants and had sex with her which she did not agree to.

The next day the argument continued, however police showed up as a result of texts she had sent her family.

Braidwood was arrested and officers found the handgun unsafely stored in the home.

Defence lawyer Matthew Nathanson added Braidwood had taken a lot of Valium and other drugs at the time.

Nathanson told court the incident was “completely out of character” for Braidwood and said that, while he was impaired by drugs, he understands that is not an excuse.

“He knows he has absolutely no excuse for his behaviour,” said Nathanson, adding that Braidwood has since taken drug treatment in B.C. and plans on taking more.

Nathanson explained that Braidwood became addicted to painkillers after his CFL career ended due to two serious knee injuries and said that resulted in “taking him to the lowest point of his life” and his ensuing actions.

He added that it was also a turning point in his life and said Braidwood plans to seek work in the oil patch in Fort McMurray after his release from prison

The lawyer gave the judge numerous character letters on Braidwood’s behalf and spoke of his work in the community, including helping set up a home for wayward boys.

Braidwood was ordered to submit a DNA sample for the national DNA databank, banned for life from possessing weapons and placed on the national sex offender registry for 20 years.

Braidwood – the first overall CFL draft pick in 2006 – is also facing weapons-related charges in Port Coquitlam, B.C., relating to an incident in September.

Police there have said Braidwood was arrested and taken to hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound, after shots were fired in a residence located along the community’s annual Terry Fox Run route.

Braidwood, who was released by the Eskimos on April 21, 2012, first got into legal trouble in November 2010 when he and two others were arrested in Stony Plain on charges of aggravated assault and unlawful confinement.

Mounties say a witness reported seeing an abduction on Nov. 19, 2010, in Spruce Grove, and police later found two males standing outside a vehicle with two men inside.

A 20-year-old man outside the vehicle was shirtless with injuries to his arms and legs and was taken to hospital.

Braidwood, Shane Bergstrom, 25, and Taylor Kurtz, 23, were arrested and later released on cash bail.

A preliminary hearing in the Stony Plain case was held last year and Braidwood was ordered to stand trial on those charges in Edmonton on Sept. 16.

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As Advertised in the Edmonton SUN

Former Edmonton Eskimo sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for 'egregious' sex assault

Former Edmonton Eskimos defensive lineman Adam Braidwood was sentenced to 4-1/2 years in prison Friday for an “egregious” sexual assault on a former girlfriend.

Braidwood, 28, shook his lawyer’s hand and then waved at two unidentified crying women, who had accompanied him to court, before being led away by a sheriff.

Braidwood pleaded guilty to sexual assault and careless storage of a firearm relating to a bizarre Dec. 2, 2010, domestic assault which court heard was a product of the former CFL star and cage fighter’s drug addiction.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Eric Macklin called it a “very serious” crime consisting of an “egregious act of sexual assault” and “egregious behaviour” towards a woman who deserved and was entitled to protection due to the relationship she had with Braidwood.